Jonathan Dove’s beautiful choral works have made him into a household name among professional and amateur singers alike. His writing is eminently approachable yet highly original. His music appears on cathedral music lists frequently around the UK, his distinctive voice and imaginative choice of texts creating inspirational works suitable for many different liturgical occasions.
The Missa brevis is the most recent work to be recorded here and was commissioned by the Cathedral Organists’ Association for their conference in Wells Cathedral in May 2009 and first performed by the cathedral choir under Matthew Owens’ direction. The same forces have recorded it here along with a delectable selection of Dove’s anthems.
5th September 2010
“The quality of any cathedral choir is governed by the standard of its trebles...Wells is currently enjoying a superb top line, rewardingly displayed in this collection of Jonathan Dove's radiant choral works, including a first recording of his sparkling Missa Brevis...It makes an attractive, stimulating addition to the liturgy.”
November 2010
****
“there's so much freshness, attack and palpable involvement...not least from the consistently excellent boy and girl choristers. Dove's music is splendidly effective and birghtly expressive.”
November 2010
****
“The choir sings as one with crisp diction and expertly handled dynamic contrasts, whilst Vaughan's multi-faceted organ performance is genuinely exciting to listen to, whether haunting and subdued or triumphantly raising the roof. Close your eyes and you could be in Wells Cathedral.”
November 2010
“Dove's fresh, diatonic idiom is coupled to a matchless sense of word-setting...[His] fondness for multi-layered textures enhances a strong dramatic impulse...the Wells choristers tackle everything with aplomb, élan and evident enjoyment.”
2011 edition
“The richness of Jonathan Dove's choral writing and his vividly colourful (yet sometimes sparing) use of the organ is heard again and again throughout this collection, so stirringly and beautifully sung by Wells Cathedral Choir.”
Click on any of the works listed above for alternative recordings.
